hi all,
i'm going to plant a small vegetable garden in our backyard. Currently
an entire section of the back is piled with woodchips and in some spots
several inches deep with sand. This was something the previous owners
of our home did - probably because of kids and dogs. What measures
should i take? I know that getting the woodchips out and potentially
relocated is a prerequisite but have wondered about the sand issue. If
my garden will not physically be planted in the spots where the sand
is, is it still necessary to get rid of it?

Also, since we are in a city (chicago), is it unwise to plant directly
into the ground? Am I better off planting in a raised bed filled with
topsoil and compost? I should mention that in spite of the woodchips
and the sand, the soil is rich and moist.

thanks!